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This song is a classic from an earlier period, similar to “Bridge over Troubled Waters.” The composer, who is from the Northern region of Thailand, died over 15 years ago at age 50. It is covered here by “r-bu” who covers many, many popular Thai songs, all beautifully, and is uploaded to YouTube by “kraimairu.” It is not a political song, in and of itself, but is being used by current day Thai pro-democracy activists at their rallies, including this one March 24, 2018, in which hundreds, and perhaps as many as a thousand, marched from Thammamasat University to army headquarters by a pro-democracy group calling for the army to dissolve the junta and hold elections. Curiously, there is already an English-language version of this song by Jaran Manopet (posted after this translation.) I don’t consider it a successful singable translation, but I did use that version to help me make choices in this translation.

..อย่ากลับคืนคำ เมื่อเธอย้ำ สัญญาI want to go back to the evening we repeated our vows อย่าเปลื่ยนวาจา เมื่อเวลาแปรเปลื่ยนไปDon’t take them back when the times change ให้เธอหมายมั่นคง แล้วอย่าหลงไปเชื่อใครStay focused and don’t make the mistake of believing just anyone เดินทางไป อย่าหวั่นใครขวางกั้นWalk [your] path and don’t be afraid of those who would obstruct you.

..มีดวงตะวัน ส่องเป็นแสง สีทองYou have the sun, shining golden rays of light กระจ่างครรลอง ให้ใฝ่ปองและสร้างสรรค์Brightening the way so [you] can go seek your goal and create [something] เมื่อดอกไม้แย้มบาน ให้คนหาญสู้ไม่หวั่นWhen the flowers blossom, let the brave person fight unafraid คือรางวัล แด่ความฝันอันยิ่งใหญ่It’s the prize . . . only a great dream ให้ เธอ. .. for you

..บนทางเดิน ที่มีขวากหนามOn the path that has thorns ถ้าเธอคร้าม ถอยไปฉันคงเก้อIf you are scared and retreat, you will have [walked] in vain ฉันยังพร้อม ช่วยเธอเสมอI always stand ready to help you เพียงตัวเธอ ไม่หนีไปเสียก่อนAs long as you haven’t run off first

..จะปลอบดวงใจ ให้เธอหาย ร้าว รานI will console your heart so you recover [from the] fractures จะเป็นสะพาน ให้เธอเดินไปแน่นอนI will be a bridge for you to walk on surely จะเป็นสายน้ำ เย็น ดับกระหายยามโหยอ่อนI will be a cool stream to quench your thirst when you are weak and exhausted คอยอวยพร ให้เธอสมดังหวังได้Bless you. May you hopes be fullfilled นิรันดร์Always

released February 23, 2018 Lyrics by Rishadan Port; Based on an existing song Original Song from Koisuru Fortune Cookie คุกกี้เสี่ยงทาย by BNK48 is HERE Thai Original Lyrics by Man LaOngFong Original Lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto Music & Melody by Shintaro Ito Arranged by Seiji MutoBUY THE SONG “112 Royal Pizza” HERE at Bandcamp.

Note: In Thailand, there is a popular pizza restaurant “The Pizza Company” that has a phone number 1112 to order take out. Thus pizza is a code word for the draconian lese majesty law (Article 112), which makes it illegal to insult the King, Queen, or Heir Apparent with a 3-15 years sentence PER negative statement.

แอบจับเธออยู่นะจ๊ะ แต่เธอไม่รู้บ้างเลยI was sneaking and caught you at it, and you didn’t even know. เธอหมิ่นคนที่ฉันรัก และเธอจงรู้ไว้เลยYou insulted a person I love. And you should have known [that] เธอเป็นภัยความมั่นคง เราต้องจับเธอเข้าคุกสักวันyou are harmful to stability! We need to finally catch you and lock you up!

อยากรู้เขาดีจริงไหม ก็เปิดให้พูดได้ก่อน[If] you want to know, “Is he really good?” you must first open up so [people] can speak มันควรเป็นสิทธิรู้ไหม แต่ถูกกฎหมายลิดรอนIt should be a right, you know. But the law deprives us ใครแจ้งจับใครก็ได้ เอามาใช้ทำร้ายทำลายกันAnyone can tell them to capture anyone else, taking and using [it] to hurt and destroy each other

เพราะว่าเขานั้นโฆษณาแต่ด้านดีBecause they only advertise the good side หมุนดูทีวี น้ำตาก็ไหลเป็นทางRevolving around watching TV, tears flow ฉันเพิ่งรู้ว่าเขานั้นจริงๆน่ะคิดอะไรI only just learned what he really thinks ฉันก็เลยได้เข้าใจในคำตอบนั้นAnd so I can understand that answer รู้ว่ามันจะต้องเสี่ยง สู้ยังไงก็ต้องเสี่ยงIf you know it, you must take the risk. However we fight, [we] must risk it Come on Come on Come on โอ้ ไม่ดี ใช้พิซซ่าทำลายกันCome on, come on, come on. Oh, its terrible. Using pizza to destroy each other.

One One Two Royal Pizza112 Royal Pizza ยกเลิกดีกว่า มุ่งสู่วันแห่งฝันที่เรารออยู่Repeal would be better. Aim for the day of the dream we are waiting for hey hey hey หากจะดี เราต้องช่วยกันHey, hey, hey. If it’s going to be good, we must help each other ร่วมผลักดันสร้างสรรค์สังคมที่ดีJoin together to push towards creating a society that’s good. เมืองที่ไม่มี Royal PizzaA country that doesn’t have Royal Pizza กฎหมายบ้าๆ ปิดปากและกดหัวลิดรอนเสรีA crazy, crazy law, gagged mouths, oppression, and deprivation of rights hey hey hey, hey hey heyhey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. ถึงยังไงพวกเราก็คงต้องลองเสี่ยงดูอีกสักนิดWherever it leads, the group of us must take the risk and see [what happens] next ปาฏิหาริย์ไม่มี มีเพียงศรัทธาพลังแห่งความคิดThere are no miracles. There is only the belief in the power of [our] thoughts and ideas ฉันมั่นใจว่ามันจะเป็นพลังให้เราเปลี่ยนแปลงรัฐสักวันหนึ่งI am confident it will be the strength that will have us change the nation one day.

อยากบอกว่าไม่รัก แต่กลัวโดนยัดพิซซ่าI want to say, I don’t love [him]. But I’m afraid of having pizza stuffed in my face. เธอทำอะไรเอาไว้ จะแชร์ก็ยังไม่กล้าYou do whatever safely away, but still don’t dare share [it on social media] จะถูกจะผิดหรือยังไง มันก็ควรถกเถียงได้สักทีWhether right, wrong, or whatever, it should be something we can at least debate once ฉันเพิ่งรู้ว่าเขาใช้พิซซ่ากดหัวคนI just know that he uses pizza to intimidate people และเขาไม่สนเพราะกลัวคนเขารู้ทันBut he doesn’t care because he is afraid some peoples know what his is up to ถึงฉันหวังให้เขาเปลี่ยนแปลงจากข้างในTo the point that I hope for him to change from the inside ฉันก็รู้ว่ามันคงไม่มีวันBut I also know there is almost no chance [of that]. เพราะยังไงก็ต้องเสี่ยง ยิ่งไม่รักก็ต้องเสี่ยงBecause, however [it is], one must risk it. The more [I] don’t love [him], the more [I] must risk [it] Oh Yeah Oh Yeah Oh Yeah Oh Baby เป็นเช่นไรก็เป็นกันOh Yeah, oh yeah, oh Yeah, Oh Baby, However it is, that’s how it is!

One One Two Royal Pizza112 Royal Pizza ยกเลิกดีกว่า มุ่งสู่วันแห่งฝันที่เรารออยู่To repeal it would be better. Aim for the day of the dream we are waiting for hey hey hey หากจะดี ต้องวัดกันดูHey, hey, hey. Whether it’s good, we must test it together and see. เสี่ยงแต่คงต้องสู้เพื่อวันข้างหน้าTake the risk just because we must fight for the future

เราต้องไม่มี Royal PizzaWe must not have Royal Pizza วันที่ดีกว่า จบสุดท้ายอย่างดีก็คงไม่ตาย[On] the day that is better. Finishing this last part nicely, [we] probably won’t die hey hey hey, hey hey heyHey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ถึงยังไงพวกเราก็คงต้องลองเสี่ยงดูอีกสักนิดCome what may, all of us must take the risk and see [what happens] a little more down the road ปาฏิหาริย์ไม่มี มีเพียงศรัทธาพลังแห่งความคิดThere are no miracles. There is only the belief in the power of our thoughts and ideas ฉันมั่นใจว่ามันจะเป็นพลังให้เราเปลี่ยนแปลงรัฐสักวันหนึ่งI am confident that it will be the strength that has us change the nation one day.

Released February 12, 2018, Composed by Port Faiyen; Arranged by Khoontong, Port, and Jom; Music by Faiyen; Produced by Faiyen

This song is hilarious! In December, Thailand’s Deputy Dictator Prawit Wongsuwan raised his hand in a photo shoot to shield his eyes from the sun, revealing a $100,000 watch and a gleaming ring. Thais went back through photos of the deputy dictator, finding him wearing a collection of 25 ultra-expensive, undeclared watches, collectively valued at $1.25 dollars. People assume these are kickbacks for the many favors he gets to hand out as deputy dictator. Prawit said “a friend” loaned them to him. There is an actual official investigation, which is proceeding VERY SLOWLY. The junta took power in part to “wipe out corruption” so the pro-democracy activists are gleefully saying “I told you so!” and demanding an end to the junta and no more postponement of elections.

The song also references a separate scandal: the callous remarks Deputy Dictator Prawit Wonsuwan made regarding the death of military cadet Pakapong “May” Tanyakan, who most people believe died of physical abuse suffered at the academy, though the official explanation has been “heart failure.”

ผมเป็นทหารคนหนึ่ง เคยเรียนอยู่เตรียมทหารI am a soldier. I have studied at a military prep school โดนซ้อมจนสลบ แต่ผมไม่ตายI trained until I fainted, but I didn’t die** ส่วนคนที่ตาย ไม่ใช่โดนซ้อม เขาตกบันไดAs for people who did die, it wasn’t from training. They fell down the stairs**

ผมมาดำรงตำแหน่ง เพื่อชาติ และศาสนาI came to hold this position for country and religion. พระมหากษัตริย์ ไม่ใช่เพื่อตัวเองFor the great king. Not for myself! ถ้าไม่เข้าใจ เดี๋ยวผมจะไป เชิญคุณมาคุยกันIf you don’t understand, shortly I will be going.* Please, you come and let’s talk about it.

** The official explanation for military cadet Pakapong Tanyakan’s death was that he had died of heart failure after a series of exercises as punishment for not saying thank you to a superior, and that all the suspicious wounds to his body came from accidentally falling down the stairs prior to that. Prawit accidentally revealed that he thought the cadet had died of physical punishment when he stated that physical discipline is normal in military school, that he himself has suffered it, “But I didn’t die.” He went on to say that all the suspicious deaths in the Thai military (there are about 3 notorious cases a year plus the ones that don’t hit the news) are fully investigated (we can see they are almost always covered up). When the reporter asked Prawit what could be done to prevent further tragedies, he advised, “Don’t sign up then. Don’t become a soldier. We only want people who are fully willing.” The reporter pursued, “So punishment is part of the military.” Prawit answered, “Oh yes, of course.” Read about it at by Kaosod English: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2017/11/22/army-admits-keeping-dead-cadets-organs/

Note: This is an old song by a Songs for Life band arising from the October 14th event (the successful pro-democracy mass uprising of 1973). The video is very recent and features many of the heroes of the current Thai prodemocracy movement, including Pai Daodin ไผ่ ดาวดิน , Rangsiman Rome รังสิมันต์ โรม, and Ja New จ่านิว. These people have been in an out of jailand face many frivolous lawsuits for peacefully opposing the junta. Pai Daodin (Thailand’s Rosa Parks), is famously now serving 2.5 years in jail for sharing a mainstream news article about the new king on Facebook. And he is currently being tried on further charges of discussing the Constitution. Yes, it was a crime to discuss the junta’s proposed Constitution in the run up to the “public referendum” on that Constitution.

ถ้าหากฉันเกิดเป็นนกที่โผบิน If I were born a bird that soars ติดปีกบินไปให้ไกล ไกลแสนไกล Flying off away, oh so far จะขอ เป็นนกพิราบขาว I’d like to be a white dove เพื่อชี้นำชาวประชาสู่เสรี For guiding the people to freedom

ถ้าหากฉันเกิดเป็นเมฆ บนนภา If I happened to be a cloud in the sky จะนำพาความร่มเย็น เพื่อท้องนา I would bring shade/peacefulness to the paddy field หากฉันเกิดเป็น เม็ดทราย If I happened to be a grain of sand จะถมกายเป็นทางเพื่อมวลชน I will be buried to be a road for the masses

ชีวา ยอมพลีให้ Life [I am] willing to sacrifice for มวลชน ที่ทุกข์ทน the masses who suffer ขอพลีตน ไม่ว่าจะตายกี่ครั้ง Let me offer myself. No matter how many times I die

Note: This song, “Royalists Can Do No Wrong,” was posted in 2013, and has remained frustratingly relevant up to today, January 6, 2018. Maybe we can add a new verse about Deputy Dictator Prawit Wongsuwan and his many expensive, undeclared watches. We are talking about Deputy Dictator Prawit of the junta that overthrew Thailand’s elected government in order to eliminate corruption, a junta that then wrote a Constitution that says anyone even suspected of corruption has to step down from office until the investigation clears him or her. Yes that Deputy Dictator is now suspected of corruption for owning more than 10 super expensive and undeclared watches that total more than a million dollars. I wonder if he will be suspended from his job until the investigation clears him? Hmmmm . . . .

คนรักเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด People who love the king, can do anything and not be wrong อ้างว่ารักๆเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด Just claim you love, love the king, then whatever you do, it’s not wrong อ้างว่าทำเพื่อเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด Claim you do it for the king, and whatever you do, it’s not wrong Royalists can do no wrong

คนรักเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด People who love the king, do whatever and it’s not wrong ฆ่านักศึกษาตุลา ก็ไม่ผิด Kill the October students [in the October 14, 1973, and October 6, 1976 massacres]? It’s not wrong เอาเก้าอี้ฟาดเพื่อเจ้า ก็ไม่ผิด Take a chair and beat [someone] for the king? It’s not wrong.* เอากาแฟสาดคนเพื่อเจ้า ก็ไม่ผิด Throw coffee on someone for the king? Also not wrong.**

ปิดสนามบิน ยังไงก็ไม่ผิด Close the airport? Whatever, it’s not wrong.*** ปิดราชประสงค์ ทำไมล่ะถึงผิด [But] if you close Ratchaprasong [intersection], how come that’s wrong?*** สั่งฆ่าคนตาย ทำไมมันไม่ผิด To order the assassinations of people, why isn’t that wrong? Royalists can do no wrong

คนรักเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด People who love the king, do whatever, and it’s not wrong ใช้สองมาตรฐาน เท่าไรก็ไม่ผิด However much they use a double standard, it’s not wrong ตัดสินคดีมั่วๆ ก็ไม่ผิด Decide [court] cases haphazardly? Also not wrong ดัดจริตตอแหล ยังไงก็ไม่ผิด Behave as a liar? . . . Anyway, it’s not wrong.

ทำรัฐประหาร กี่ทีก็ไม่ผิด Overthrow the government however many times, and [they’re] not wrong ฉีกรัฐธรรมนูญ กี่เล่มก็ไม่ผิด Tear up however many constitutions, and [they’re] not wrong. หมิ่นเจ้าซะเอง ก็ยังจะไม่ผิด Even commit lese majesty and [they] still won’t be wrong! Royalists can do no wrong

คนรักเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด People who love the king, do whatever and they’re not wrong ไม่ว่าจะสาธยาย ยังไงก็ไม่หมด No matter how they explain it, that’s not the whole thing เพราะว่าคนรักเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด Because people who love the king, can do anything and they’re not wrong ไม่ว่าทำเหี้ยแค่ไหน ยังไงก็ไม่ผิด Even when they do however many more damn things, it’s never wrong

ตอแหลเพื่อเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด Lie for the king. You can do anything and it’s not wrong ฆ่าคนเพื่อเจ้า ยังไงก็ไม่ผิด Kill people for the king. Anyway . . . it’s not wrong! ขอแค่อ้างว่ารักเจ้า ทำไรก็ไม่ผิด Just claim “I love the King,” whatever you do, it’s not wrong! Royalists can do no wrong

Royalists can do no wrong Royalists can do no wrong Royalists can do no wrong

*This is a reference to the iconic picture from the Thammassat University Massacre on October 6, 1976, in which a man uses a chair to beat the corpse of a dead student hung by the neck from a tree admist a crowd that appears to approve.**This refers to a news story about an airline stewardess who planned to throw coffee on the daughter of ousted prime minister Taksin Shinawatra.***Yellow Shirt protesters, claiming to defend the monarchy, closed down two airports in 2008 for more than a week. Police did not move against on them, but tried to resolve the conflict peacefully. See a New York Times story on this. ****Red Shirt protesters, supporters of the outsed Taksin Shinawatra, occupied Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok during protests in 2010. The police finally cracked down on the protesters and expelled them from the streets. The Wikipedia entry on the 2010 Thai military crackdown says there were officially 87 deaths, 79 of which were civilian, but 51 other people are missing.

Note: Andrew MacGregor Marshall is a reporter from Scotland, who is not Thai, who became involved in reporting on the Thai monarchy and then became a lese majesty victim. He has written several books on Thailand and is working on a biography of the new King, Vajiralongkorn. He was one of the first to share the now famous photos of Vajiralongkorn covered in tatoos wearing a white crop top and sagging jeans, and so was instantly accused of having photo-shopped the pictures. However the pictures are real as is Vajiralonkorn’s fondness for going out in weird and skimpy outfits. After several similar incidents were documented and shared around the world, it became impossible for the Thai government to continue pretending all the pictures are fake. Instead they warned people not to follow Andrew on Facebook and that anyone who even looks at Andrew’s posts may be accused of lese majesty. The first verse of the song echoes the abuse that is often hurled at Andrew MacGregor Marshall simply for trying to tell the truth. There are also many, many Thais grateful to Andrew, and this song is a tribute written by Rishadan Port of the band Faiyen.

แอนดรูว์ แมกเกรเกอร์ มาร์แชล คืออดีตนักข่าวรอยเตอร์Andrew MacGregor Marshall is a former Reuters reporter ทำงานมา 17 ปี ต้องลาออกเพื่ออุดมการณ์He worked for 17 years and had to leave because of principles แอนดรูวต้องการเผยแพร่ ความจริงของประเทศไทยAndrew needs to publicize the truth of Thailand. ความจริงที่ถูกปิดไว้ แต่รู้กันทั้งโลกาThe truth that has been hidden away. But everyone knows all over the world.

แล้ว ความจริงนั้นคืออะไร ทำไมใครพูดไม่ได้And what is that truth. Why can’t people say [it]? ความลวงนั้นลวงอย่างไร มีใครกล้าพูดออกมาThat deception deceives how? Does anyone dare say it out loud? ความจริงพิสูจน์ได้ไหม คนไทยมีสิทธิ์อยากรู้The truth can it be proven? Thai people have a right to be eager to know ปิดปากคนด้วยกฎหมาย จะปิดได้นานแค่ไหนShutting mouths of people by law, can cover [things] up for however long

แอนดรูว์เขาเป็นฝรั่ง แอนดรูวไม่ใช่คนไทยAndrew is a Farang. Andrew isn’t a Thai. แอนดรูว์จะไปรู้อะไร แอนดรูว์เป็นทาสทักษิณHow is Andrew going to know anything? Andrew is a slave of Taksin ปิดหูปิดตาเข้าไป หลอกตัวเองกันได้ทุกสิ่งGoing about with eyes and hears closed, [we] can fool ourselves about everything. หากแอนดรูว์เขาพูดความจริง คนไทยต้องกล้ายอมรับIf Andrew speaks the truth, Thai people must be brave enough to accept it.

ช้างตายทั้งตัวเอาใบบัวมาปิดไม่มิด (x4)When an elephant dies, and you go to cover its whole body with one lotus leaf, that won’t conceal it.* (4X)

ความจริงนั้นคืออะไร ทำไมใครพูดไม่ได้What is that truth. Why can’t people say [it]? ความลวงนั้นลวงอย่างไร มีใครกล้าพูดออกมาThat deception deceives how? Does anyone dare say it out loud? ความจริงพิสูจน์ได้ไหม คนไทยมีสิทธิ์อยากรู้The truth can it be proven? Thai people have a right to be eager to know ปิดปากคนด้วยกฎหมาย จะปิดได้นานแค่ไหนShutting mouths of people by law, can cover [things] up for however long

ความดีนั้นดีจริงไหม ที่อวยนั้นจริงหรือเปล่าThat goodness, is it really good? Do we grant that it is good or not? ความเลวที่ถูกปิดไว้ ซ่อนมันไว้ด้วยความกลัวThe evil that is hidden away, [they] hide it away with fear ดีจริงต้องกล้าพิสูจน์ ต้องเปิดให้คนถกเถียงReal goodness must dare to be tested and proven. It must be open for people to debate ปรับตัวเสียแต่วันนี้ มิเช่นนั้นอาจสายเกินไปAdjust yourself right away, today. Otherwise, it could be too late.

*This is a saying that is like the English-language saying about the big elephant in the room, except it’s pretty vivid if you imagine an elephant dying and people trying to cover it up with a lotus leaf instead of burying it. I just learned from Andrew MacGregor Marshall that this saying was the epigram in his first book #thaistory.

Note: There is so much going on in this simple song, which is illustrated by stickers from a set made for the social media platform LINE, which is one of the most popular platforms used in Asia. The sticker set is called “Silly Family” and lampoons the Thai royal family. The stickers were pulled down within days of being posted, after the Thai government complained that the stickers would wound the feelings of the Thai people. (Echos of the religious taboo against drawing pictures of the Prophet Mohammad.) The stickers remind people of various incidents in the lives of the Thai royals. Similar to the British royal family, the Thai royal family provides lots of ridiculous incidents to gossip about, however gossiping about the Thai royal family is very dangerous. In this song, a clueless king is asking “What have I (or we) done to make everyone hate us so much?” In popular songs, the king is presented as working tirelessly for the Thai people. This relentless propaganda paired with the fact that anyone who gossips about the reality of the Thai monarchy can be thrown in jail, explains why there is a strong undercurrent of resentment against the King and the whole royal family.

เราไปทำอะไร ให้เขาเจ็บช้ำน้ำใจWhat have I done to hurt their feelings? คนไทยจึงได้โกรธเกลียดเราขนาดนี้So that Thai people hate me to this extent? THIRD TIME ADD: [เจ็บปวดที่สุด I’m totally hurt!]

เราเคยบอกเอาไว้I told you before จะครองแผ่นดินโดยธรรมI’ll rule the land by means of justice เพื่อประโยชน์สุขของชาวสยามFor the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people

เราเหน็ดเหนื่อยเพียงไหนHowever much I am tired and exhausted ปิดทองหลังพระเท่าไรHowever much gold leaf I stick on the back of the Buddha statue [However much I do my work quietly without singing my own praises]* ถึงมาว่าเราเป็นคนไม่ดีIt comes in that they’re saying I’m a bad person

ขอให้บอกเราที่ ให้เราปรับตัวยังไงPlease tell me so I can make whatever adjustments 3X

ตอนนี้น้ำตาจะไหล ไปจ้องแม่น้ำดีกว่าRight now so many tears will flow. I should just go stare at the river. That would be better.

*There is a Thai saying “ปิดทองหลังพระ” (“To put gold [leaf] on the back of the Buddha [stature],” meaning to do good works without drawing attention to yourself. In Thailand people make merit by applying gold leaf to the Buddha statue. Most people want their gold leaf to be on the front where everyone can see it, but the person who isn’t worried about being admired will apply the gold leaf to the back of the Buddha statue. It is equivalent to the English saying, “Don’t blow your own horn.” or “Don’t sing your own praises.” The band Carabao has an extremely famous song about King Bhumibol calling him a “ผู้ปิดทองหลังพระ” or a “Person Who Puts Gold Leaf on the Back of the Buddha Statue” (There is a spectacular performance of this song for King Bhumipol’s birthday, that includes a herd of saluting elephants and Add Carabao himself walking on water.)

Note: For a year, the junta has promoted the idea that it would be horribly disrespectful to discuss politics or the monarchy during the recommended year of mourning for King Bhumipol. Well, that year is over. The Thai people may wear colorful clothes again. It is now or never for facing facts about King Bhumipol (who has practically been deified) and his son, Vajiralongkorn, the new king, who NEVER will be. According to this song, many are losing faith and taking down their picture of King Bhumipol (without replacing it with a picture of the widely hated Vajiralongkorn).

ภาพที่มีกันอยู่ทุกบ้าน ได้อันตรธานหายไป หายไปA picture that everyone used to have in their home has disappeared and is gone, gone เสื่อมศรัทธา คนเขาเริ่มเข้าใจ จะไปบ้านใคร ภาพหลุด ภาพหลุดLosing faith, they begin to understand. Go to anyone’s house and the picture will be down าพที่เห็นมานาน เคยมีติดบ้านติดเรือนThe picture that was one there attached to the home, attached to the house ฝังจิตฝังใจไม่ลืมเลือน เขาบิดเบือนว่าเป็นเทวดาImplanted in the heart and mind so one doesn’t forget, he distorts things such that he’s a god. ฝังความคิดเข้าไป ใช้การโหมโฆษณาImplants thoughts using concentrated advertising แต่ปิดบังความเลวชั่วช้า รำคาญตาเลยปลดลงฝาบ้านBut hiding the evil. It offends the eyes! Take it down from the wall of the home!

ก่อนเคยแขวนบูชา เขาบอกว่าปกป้องคุ้มภัยBefore [when they] used to hang [it on the wall] and worship it, they said it protects against dangers วันเวลาหมุนเวียนเปลี่ยนไป จึงมั่นใจไม่ศักดิ์สิทธิ์นี่หนาAnd time rolls by, things change. Therefore [one] is confident [it’s] not sacred. หลงแขวนไว้ตั้งนาน เคยรักมั่น วันนี้เสื่อมศรัทธา[They] were obsessed with hanging it up for so long now. Once loved it with certainty. Today, lose faith. กลายเป็นภาพที่หมดราคา รำคาญตาเลยปลดลงฝาบ้านIt becomes a worthless picture. It offends the eyes! Take it down from the wall of the home!

ภาพที่มีกันอยู่ทุกบ้าน ได้อันตรธานหายไป หายไปA picture that everyone used to have in their home has disappeared and is gone, gone ประชาชนเขาเริ่มเข้าใจ เดี๋ยวนี้คนไทย เลิกกราบ เลิกกราบThe citizens begin to understand. Right now, Thais stop prostrating themselves [before a picture].

Note: I sang this song the morning of Dictator Prayuth’s visit to the White House on October 2, 2017, to express my disgust. Whatever the meaning of US President Trump’s White House invitation to a the leader of a successful coup that overthrew a democratic government in 2014, it cannot be interpreted as sign that Americans now respect Prayut Chan-o-cha any more than they respect authoritarian President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, invited that same weekend, or North Korean Dictator Kim Jung Un, who President Trump said a day later he would consider inviting. So either President Trump was calling Asian world leaders indiscriminately that weekend, or he really had a list of evil dictators in his head and he was systematically going down that list. On behalf what I hope is still the majority of Americans, I apologize for a US President who seems oblivious to human rights concerns, at home or abroad. And I continue to condemn the power grab of General Prayut Chanocha in Thailand.

That day the People’s Party rose, the system changed to democracy We built it up for all to see. Each time snatched away The coups keep coming 10s of times. Democracy is held at bay The rights of people are betrayed. And who’s it all for?

Then today you come back for some more With guns and tanks, you plunder what’s not yours

You made democracy fall using dictatorship Made it slip, claimed the coup protects the king No need to tell truths, or respect rule of law or anything Just stop your evil doing, return happiness to us by leaving now

Those who won’t give up the fight, pledge we will endure the risk Democracy, it will exist. Crush dictatorship Thailand doesn’t belong to just one group, but the whole citizenship The power belongs to every Thai, choosing electively!

You made democracy fall using dictatorship Made it slip, claimed the coup protects the king No need to tell truths, or respect rule of law or anything Just stop your evil doing, return happiness to us by leaving now

Composed by Port, Arranged by Khoontong, Music by Faiyen Released October 26, 2017 Please support the artists who are political refugees and BUY THE SONG at BANDCAMP

Translation of Faiyen’s note about this song: After king Bhumibol died October 13, 2016, many Thai artists came out, one after another, composing songs praising the King’s virtue which derived its power from one-sided advertising and promotion of this king for an entire half century, by means of Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, which forbids insulting the King and carries a severe penalty of 3-15 years in jail for one offense. Gradually it silences, not allowing mainstream news or anyone whosoever, to present any perspective or information that reflects negatively on the King and royal family. Therefore, the band Faiyen, would like to be the #1 artists to chose to present one more viewpoint, another side to King Bhumibol, which Thai society does not dare mention, in order to stand firm in an ideology and point of view that will reveal the dark truth that has been bullying and suppressing people in Thai society for so long.

ในหลวงโชคดีที่มีคนไทยThe king is lucky to have the Thai people. คนไทยโชคร้ายที่มีในหลวงThe Thai people are unlucky to have the king. โหมโฆษณาประชาสัมพันธ์ จนซาบซึ้งไปถึงในทรวงMobilizing advertising to the people until the appreciation reaches their chests ล้วนหลอกลวงคนไทยมานานหลายปีTotally deceiving the Thai people for so many, many years now

ในหลวงไม่ได้ดีเหมือนที่เขาหลอกThe king isn’t good like he’s tricked us [into believing] เขาครองบัลลังก์หลั่งเลือดตั้งแต่ขึ้นมาHe reigns with killing from the very beginning ล้มรัฐบาลด้วยรัฐประหาร ปกครองด้วยการเข่นฆ่าOverthrowing government(s) with coups, governing with murder ตั้งแต่ตุลา ถึงพฤษภา ประชาวอดวายFrom October [9, 1976 & 14, 1973] to [Bloody] May [1992 & 2010]

ปิดปากคนด้วยกฎหมายลิดรอนเสรีGagging peoples with laws that take away their freedom ข่มเหงย่ำยีกดคนให้จนดักดานBullying, ravaging, and oppressing people so they are poor forever คนทุกคนมีดีมีเลว แต่ในหลวงห้ามคนวิจารณ์Every person has good and bad, but the king forbids people to criticize [him] กลัวคนประณามว่าตนเป็นคนเช่นไรHe’s afraid someone will ask accusingly, “And what kind of person are you!?”

70 ปีปกครองด้วยความหวาดกลัวSeventy years of ruling with fear. ใครไม่รักพระเจ้าอยู่หัว จะโดนเสียบหัวประจานWhoever doesn’t love His Majesty will be publicly shamed เขาทำแค่หนึ่ง ซาบซึ้งว่ามหาศาลHe does only one [thing]. [But some people] appreciate that he does so many, many millions of things ที่เขาสูบกินเป็นล้าน คนไทยกลับไม่รู้เลยThat he devours millions [more], the Thai people totally don’t know

ในหลวงโชคดีที่มีคนไทยThe king is lucky to have the Thai people. คนไทยโชคร้ายที่มีในหลวงThe Thai people are unlucky to have the king. ระบอบราชาธิปไตยทำลายคนไทยทั้งปวงThe monarchy regime ruins all the Thai people เรารักในหลวง หรือแท้จริงเรารักตัวเองWe love the king or in truth we love ourselves?

ระบอบราชาธิปไตยทำลายคนไทยทั้งปวงThe monarchy regime ruins all the Thai people เลิกรักในหลวง แล้วหันมารักประชาชนStop loving the king and turn to loving the people.